Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg’s achievements highlight the country’s expanding presence and opportunities in space exploration.
When news broke late last year that two astronauts on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) were unable to return to earth due to a technical malfunction, the world watched anxiously.
The astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, were forced to remain aboard the ISS due to a propulsion system failure on their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. And this week, they finally returned to earth.
For newly badged Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, it was a reminder of the risks that come with venturing into space. As one of the few hundred humans to have earned the title of astronaut, she understands that space travel is never without uncertainty.
For non-astronauts – or “star sailors”, as the Greek origins of the word suggest – the idea of being stranded in space is the stuff of science fiction. But for those who live and work in orbit, it is simply part of the extraordinary challenges they accept in the pursuit of discovery.
“Being an astronaut by definition means you have to deal with a lot of uncertainty, so you just take that in your stride knowing it might not happen. Even when you’re assigned a mission, things can be delayed or moved around and that’s just the way it is,” Bennell-Pegg told create.
“For me, I am preparing to go to space knowing that it’s for important work that underpins people’s lives and contributes to the future of life on earth.”
Life in space
Since the first humans arrived at the ISS in 2000, there has been a continuous presence aboard the space station.
Crews rotate every few months, typically consisting of astronauts from NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada), along with occasional participants from other space agencies and private missions. They are there to conduct scientific and technological research, maintain station systems and prepare for future deep-space missions.
It is also a huge piece of international diplomacy, Bennell-Pegg said.
“When you have species-level discovery activities done in the space station, it’s a real unifier. It’s even been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in strengthening relations among partner countries.”
For the first time, Bennell-Pegg is among the select group of astronauts that could be selected for a mission into space.
After graduating from the European Space Agency training program in 2024, she holds the distinction of being Australia’s first female astronaut and the first to train and qualify under the Australian flag.
Selected from a pool of more than 22,500 candidates to complete an intensive training program, she has now completed key qualifications in spacewalking, spacecraft systems, robotics, and flight engineering and experienced simulated spacewalks in ESA’s Neutral Buoyancy Facility and NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
“Becoming an astronaut is the result of a childhood dream evolving into a deep desire to be part of groundbreaking discoveries and contribute to something tangible.”
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Engineering a result
As an aeronautical engineer, Bennell-Pegg is in good company in the small world of astronauts. Four out of a total of six participants in the ESA program have an engineering background, something she said is not surprising.
“At its core, engineering is about creating order from chaos. In space, it is at the centre of creating new missions and solutions. It’s how we go from a single scientific question with a broad solution space to distilling it down to a specific design.
“The first astronauts were often military pilots, but now we are also the test subjects, the scientists with the hands, eyes and ears of our scientists on the ground. We are engineers solving problems and installing new equipment up there – we are like space tradies.”
Without gravity, physical and chemical processes behave differently – which means astronauts are in a unique environment to conduct experiments that reveal new insights impossible to achieve on earth.
“Working in microgravity allows crystals to grow larger and purer, which helps us study protein structures for developing new medicines and treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s,” Bennell-Pegg explained.
Astronauts also experience profound physical changes, such as accelerated bone loss, making them valuable test subjects for osteoporosis countermeasures.
“This is why it’s crucial to have women represented in space. There’s many reasons, but one of them is that as medical test subjects, women on earth stand to benefit more than if they’re not represented in space.”
Positioning Australia in a global space community
As Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency, Bennell-Pegg said the organisation operates as a front door for international partners to collaborate with Australia, which is crucial in a growing global ecosystem.
“We have a long and proud history in space, starting with our Indigenous people’s deep knowledge of the skies, which have guided their lives for tens of thousands of years,” she said. “This legacy continued with rocket launches from the red dirt of Woomera and we supported the US during the Apollo missions.”
However, as the global space race accelerated, Australia’s contributions remained in more niche areas. In recent decades, the space sector has expanded, particularly in manufacturing, driven by the miniaturisation of electronics and reduced launch costs.
“We now have a unique value proposition because Australia’s expertise in sectors like mining, resources, field robotics, astronomy and remote medical capabilities – developed through how we’ve learned to work and live across our remote and vast land – directly translate into space capabilities.
“For example, our ability to monitor spacecraft using our advanced astronomy tools and provide remote medical care for Antarctic expeditions and rural communities is highly relevant to space exploration.”
Australia’s vast, sparsely populated regions, well-characterised skies, favourable atmospheric conditions and trusted regulatory system also make it an ideal and attractive destination for international space companies.
“Launch and return operations alone could contribute $1 billion to the economy over the next decade,” she said.
It’s light years away from her childhood dream.
“As a child, I would lie on the grass, staring through binoculars in awe of the vast universe – each pinprick of light a distant planet or sometimes I could even view an entire galaxy.
“During astronaut training, I experienced that same wonder in a new way. While alone in the woods for winter survival training, I poked my head out of my snow cave and saw the ISS pass overhead – reminding me exactly why I was doing this.
“We are really on the cusp of the next great industrialisation and space exploration endeavour – so it’s an exciting time to be an astronaut, especially an Australian astronaut.”
Read more: Meet four of the engineers taking Australia to space
